Changes

The '''emerging church movement''' or ''Emergent Church'' began in the late 20th century by Christians who were dissatisfied with the mainstream [[Doctrine|doctrinal]] teaching and practices of the larger denominations of Christianity, who see themselves as the true church "emerging" from within denominational forms of Christianity. About 1999-2000, a number of young leaders, most of them [[Evangelical Christians|evangelical]], came together to discuss their struggles, issues, questions, challenges, and discoveries – many of them relating to a shift from modern colonial faith to a postmodern and postcolonial faith. Followers tend to see themselves as people who are disillusioned with organized and institutional approaches to faith. The motivation and causes of this movement are thus similar to the original motivations and causes of [[Pietism|pietistic]] movements and churches having their own roots in the 16th century. The emerging church movement emphasizes the primary spiritual value of relationships, experience, dialogue, feelings, and conversations, which are to be equated with the reliable inspiration of Scripture, while certitude, authority, and historical [[doctrine]] are to be avoided as divisive and spiritually harmful. There is no [[Sunday School]].  

The '''emerging church movement''' or ''Emergent Church'' began in the late 20th century by Christians who were dissatisfied with the mainstream [[Doctrine|doctrinal]] teaching and practices of the larger denominations of Christianity, who see themselves as the true church "emerging" from within denominational forms of Christianity. About 1999-2000, a number of young leaders, most of them [[Evangelical Christians|evangelical]], came together to discuss their struggles, issues, questions, challenges, and discoveries – many of them relating to a shift from modern colonial faith to a postmodern and postcolonial faith. Followers tend to see themselves as people who are disillusioned with organized and institutional approaches to [[faith]]. The motivation and causes of this movement are thus similar to the original motivations and causes of [[Pietism|pietistic]] movements and churches having their own roots in the 16th century. The emerging church movement emphasizes the primary spiritual value of relationships, experience, dialogue, feelings, and conversations, which are to be equated with the reliable inspiration of Scripture, while certitude, authority, and historical [[doctrine]] are to be avoided as divisive and spiritually harmful. There is no [[Sunday School]].  

The emerging church movement claims to be a Conversation instead of a Church. All seekers and believers alike are invited to participate in the unifying, relaxed and informal setting of "the conversation", instead of worshiping in a structured institutional church which emphasizes doctrinal and [[dogma]]tic truths. In place of educationally structured Sunday School classes, they sit in large rooms for the purpose of small group gatherings for "enlightening conversations", often lit by candlelight, with the smell of incense and the ringing of bells, surrounded by statues and icons.

The emerging church movement claims to be a Conversation instead of a Church. All seekers and believers alike are invited to participate in the unifying, relaxed and informal setting of "the conversation", instead of worshiping in a structured institutional church which emphasizes doctrinal and [[dogma]]tic truths. In place of educationally structured Sunday School classes, they sit in large rooms for the purpose of small group gatherings for "enlightening conversations", often lit by candlelight, with the smell of incense and the ringing of bells, surrounded by statues and icons.